Magic’s Franz Wagner Ruled Out for Game 6 With Calf Strain
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ORLANDO, Fla. — Orlando Magic forward Franz Wagner will not play in Friday’s Game 6 of the first-round series against the Detroit Pistons because of a strained right calf, according to The Athletic’s Hunter Patterson.
The 24-year-old suffered the injury during Monday’s Game 4, when Orlando took a 3-1 lead over the Eastern Conference’s top seed. He missed Wednesday’s Game 5 in Detroit, a 127-120 loss that cut the Magic’s series advantage to 3-2.
Before the setback, Wagner averaged 16.8 points, 5.5 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 2.8 steals in 30.5 minutes across four postseason games, shooting 43.9 percent from the field, 33.3 percent from three and 93.3 percent at the foul line. He also served as Orlando’s primary defender on Cade Cunningham. With Wagner guarding him, Cunningham managed just 17 points on 6-for-24 shooting and committed six turnovers; without Wagner, the Pistons guard erupted for a franchise-record 45 points in Game 5.
Orlando’s Game 5 defeat was fueled by 16 Detroit offensive rebounds and the Magic’s 16-for-30 performance at the free-throw line. Paolo Banchero produced 45 points on 17-of-31 shooting to go with nine rebounds and seven assists but went 5-for-12 at the stripe.
Cunningham and Banchero became only the second opposing players in NBA playoff history to score at least 45 points in the same game, joining Donovan Mitchell (51) and Jamal Murray (50) in the 2020 bubble.
Game 6 returns to Kia Center, where Orlando is 8-1 in the playoffs under head coach Jamahl Mosley. “We’re going to be in front of our home crowd on Friday, so it’s our turn to protect home,” Banchero said. “They’re going to be desperate. We’re going to be desperate. So it’s going to be another war.”
Source: Hoops Rumors
